Turning Thanks Into Food For Those In Need

(NAPSI)--Expressing your thanks online for the good things in your life can mean food for families in need.

That’s the word from Schwan’s Home Service, which sponsors an effort called “Open the Door to Thankful.” Each time a consumer shares a few words on the company’s Facebook app about something for which he or she is thankful, the sponsor will donate five meals to Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization.

A few words of thanks shared on Facebook can result in food being donated to the nationâs leading domestic hunger-relief organization, Feeding America

The program is sponsored by a company that markets and distributes more than 350 top-quality frozen foods through home-delivery and mail-order services: Schwan’s Home Service.

The posts will also appear on consumers’ Facebook walls and there is no limit to the number of times a person can post why he or she is thankful. The program runs through October 11, 2013.

“Sometimes, instead of feeling grateful for the important people or things in our lives, we take them for granted,” said Mike Gerend, the company’s president. “Now, we invite people everywhere to take the time to stop and remember something for which they are thankful, share it and, in the process, join us to help solve hunger.”

A Special Invitation

To launch the program, the sponsor will donate an initial 250,000 meals to Feeding America and invite consumers nationwide to join and add to the donation with their own “thankfuls.” The goal of the campaign is to donate 500,000 meals to children and families that struggle with hunger.

In addition, every Thursday during the campaign until October 10, the meal donation for each “thankful” shared by consumers will be doubled to 10 meals to honor “Thankful Thursday.” One dollar helps provide nine meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local food banks; maximum donation of $55,555.

The sponsor’s parent company, The Schwan Food Company, has supported some 57 food banks in 25 states and has given more than 1.6 million pounds of food in the past year.

In addition, the company’s employees at several locations nationwide volunteer at their local food banks and agencies, as well as have food and fund drives for Feeding America member food banks.

A Hunger Hero

In 2012, Feeding America member Second Harvest Heartland, one of the largest, most innovative and efficient food banks in the U.S., recognized Schwan’s Home Service as a “Hunger Hero” because of its food donations and commitment in the fight against hunger.